In-state tuition for illegal immigrants fizzles

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Jeff Diamant

STAR-LEDGER STAFF

A bill to let illegal immigrants obtain in-state tuition
rates at public universities failed yesterday when
legislative leaders, lacking votes for passage, did not
schedule a vote on the last day of the lame-duck session.

The outcome disappointed advocates for illegal immigrants
who have long argued current rules are unfair to college
students who were children when their parents immigrated illegally.

"It's a defeat for a basic principle of morality
and civilization, which is that you don't punish
children for what their parents did or didn't do,"
said Shai Goldstein, executive director of the New Jersey
Immigration Policy Network.

Opponents say the bill flouted federal law and would have
deprived state colleges of the money out-of-state tuition
would bring in. Supporters countered it would bring in
paying students who would not have attended at all.

The bill passed Senate and Assembly committees last week.

It would have made the lower in-state tuition -- generally
about half as high as rates for non-New Jersey residents --
available for illegal immigrants who are state residents and
who attended high school in New Jersey for at least three
years, received a diploma or equivalency, and attest they
intend to apply for citizenship if they have not already.

The Office of Legislative Services, a nonpartisan body that
works for the state Legislature, estimated the bill would
have no direct effect on state revenue but said it was
unable to determine the effect on college revenue.